Dead Serious
by ViolentBloodrush
Summary: Nearly 2 month in since the end of the world and the dead started walking and Alexandra is alone. Groups just do not seem to be her thing. Until she stumble across a group near a quarry, and finds two people she knows. Unwillingly she tries to help them survive just a little longer. But she gets more then she bargained for when tempers clash. (Rated M for Language, just incase)
1. Chapter 1

**Complete re-write of the last story. Got a few chapters in and was extremely unhappy with where it was going so I've started from the beginning and given it a re-write. Comments and reviews appreciated. Rated M for language and violence, and possible adult themes mentioned in a few chapters.**

**I do own Walking Dead or the characters, only my OC's and any changes to the original story.**

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**Bloody Greetings**

Alexandra grunted in discomfort, but made no movement to get comfortable. It was a lost cause seen as she was currently belted, her sleeping bag and herself, to a tree branch high enough from prying eyes and "Biters." Her bag was being used as a incommodious pillow, various tins digging into the side of her head, one of her arms positioned awkwardly through a strap to anchor it to her body so it wouldn't drop from the tree.

Small rays of light flickered through the trees, proving that the sun had risen and Alex and still not slept. Another annoyed grunt and she slowly sat up, massaging the tensed muscles to relieve the cramp within them.

The morning crept up on her quickly and the sun was pretty high by the time she set off, her mental preparation checklist had reached pretty long in the last few months. Walking through the forest she didn't realize a row of tins that was strung between trees, a small attempt of a barricade possibly, until it was too late. Alex mentally scolded herself, eyes and ears alert after the noisy clattering had stopped. Not hearing or seeing anything she continued to slowly walk again, this time adjacent to the clattering barricade.

After a few minutes she stopped as discomfort slid down her spine, a feeling that she had grown to hate with a passion but yet trusted as much as her other senses.

"Hands Up!" A male voice snapped at her from the other side of the cans.

Alex's eyes travelled over the guy assessing if he was dangerous. He's dark hair dishevelled and grey shirt covered in a bit of dirt. Both he and the Korean guy next to him each held a gun pointing at her, or though the later seemed a little shaky. Whether it was because he wasn't used to guns or because he was pointing at a woman, she couldn't tell.

One of her arms slowly twitched, which caused another voice to yell out to her;

"Don't try anythin'," This voice came from the other side of her, "'Less you want an arrow between the eyes."

Alex signed, raising her arms, as she peered at the newcomer. This one, compared to the other two, looked a bit dangerous. Like he said, he had a crossbow trained straight at her face. It wasn't until she saw the redneck squinting at her that she realised that she was currently wearing a thin hoodie and the large hood that she was using for shade, along with the shade of the trees, had actually darkened her face so neither of the men could see her features properly. That and the fact the hoody was large and baggy, she could be mistaken for a man.

'_Good. Let them think that. May avoid a few problems for now….' _She thought, as images of another group she'd come across bought a bitter taste to the back of her throat.

"Move," A simple command was thrown at her before a scowl and jerk of the head. The guy with the grey shirt went to grab her arm, but she darted away from him straight into the redneck.

"Wha' did I say?" The annoyance was clear in his voice, making her shuffle away from him into the waiting grip of the other guy.

The walk to their camp- something which was confirmed by the Korean guy as he expressed his concerns of bringing her to the camp- was steady. The trees thinned, the sun beating down on Alex has she began to slowly sweat underneath the hoodie and strong grip of the guy in the grey shirt. Panic raised in her as they got closer to the camp. That was until her eye fell on the cluster of tents and the group that was milling around. Families and children was a usual sight for her. Most the camps she had come across where purely men, especially the most malicious groups she had come across.

A boy stopped what he was doing, and turned towards the small group marching towards the camp.

"Who's that, Shane?" The question was thrown at the guy who still had a tight grip on her arm, as the boy stopped in front of them.

"Carl! Get back here!" A woman, assumingly his mother, snapped at the boy as she shot a worried look between the three guys and the newcomer.

Others of the group had started to realize the newcomer and had begun to slowly creep around them. A guy in a sheriff's uniform stepped up to them, eyes on Alex as he approached.

"What's going off?" eyes still on Alex but the question directed at the three men.

"Caugh' him sneakin' around the camp," the redneck grumbled, stepping out from behind her towards the sheriff.

"Dim-witted Redneck twat…" Alex mumbled, rolling her eyes. She could see that the Sheriff guy eye her, confused that she'd been called a 'him' when her features which where a bit clearer were obviously feminine. Obviously in the dark shades of the trees she could be mistaken for a guy, but out in the open the Redneck had not took once glance at her. He did however hear her insult.

"Why you littl'…" His sentence trailed off as soon as it started and was followed by a blinding pain to Alex's jaw. The force was enough to knock her out of Shane's grip and onto her back. Alex could hear a scuffle above her, the Redneck cursing at someone as they tried to restrain him from possibly going down with her and beating her to a pulp. Alex blinked, trying to clear the black dots that floated in front of her as a result of hitting her head, as the metallic taste of copper reached her mouth. Stumbling to her feet, she noticed the Korean guy and Shane take a double take on her now uncovered face. Obviously they mistook her for a guy as well. Rubbing her tender jaw, she brushed herself off.

"Like I said, 'Fucking dim-witted Redneck twat'," she spat blood at the redneck's feet, venomous eyes on him. Her voice was much louder, causing the scuffle between the redneck and the sheriff to calm and both turn towards her. Realization hit the redneck, but he didn't look guilty.

After a few seconds of silence the Sheriff stepped forwards, thumbs tucked into his belt.

"Sorry about that, Daryl has bit of a temper," He pulled his hand in front of her, "Names Rick."

Alex stared down at his hand before searching his face for danger. Seconds went past, and Alex could see the small smile on the Sheriff's face dropping along with his hand. They were interrupted by a small yell and two figures darting between them.

"Alex? "

"Al!"

The two figures tackled Alex, whom struggled to stay standing.

"We thought you were dead!"

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**Let me know what you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Once again, I do not own the Walking dead character, Only my original ones.**

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**Trust Issues**

Alex tried to wiggle from the grip of the two people who were holding on to each arm. After the two had tackled her, there had been a bit of explaining between the group and introductions. The two had not let go of her all day, and it was now dark with everyone sat around fires. She's been dragged to the biggest, with most of the group, and bombarded with questions. After avoiding most of them, Alex glanced down at the twin taking in their appearances for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. The Twins had been Alex's only and closest best friends that she had before the world had gone to shit. They had managed to stay together for a few days, but not knowing the land at all they easily got split up but a small attack of bitters. From what they had told her, they'd ran into Lori, Carl and Shane not long after and had been with them since. Alex noticed that Tom's hair was starting to grow out, his roots bleached by the sun, whilst his twin, Elizabeth, had cut her own hair really short.

"A walker grabbed it the day we got separated. I didn't want it happening again, so I cut it off," Liz told her, feeling Alex's hand cautiously go to touch the trimmed locks of hair. "You cut yours too."

Instinctively she reached to her own hair, shorter than Liz's shoulder length. She blinked, remembering the night she cut it.

"Yeah, something like that…"

"So you're from England as well?" Glenn, the Korean guy, spoke up. Most of the small group looked at her, waiting to hear something about her. They had heard plenty from the twins, but the girl in front of them now was the complete opposite from the one they had been on about for the last month or so.

Just a small nod was given and an answer to the group.

Daryl was the first to break the silence, the redneck who'd punched her, approached their group. Just at the thought of the bad-tempered redneck made her jaw twinge with a small throb. Apparently she shouldn't take it personally, according to Rick, he'd just found out bad news about his brother not a few hours after dragging her into camp.

"So, we gonna talk 'bout getting' my brother. Bad enough tha' fuckin' bitch stalled plans," he spat at Rick, indicating to Alex as he spoke.

"Tha' fuckin' bitch has a name," She imitated his southern voice. He threw her a glare through his eyelashes before turning back to Rick, adamant that he would get an answer before the night was up. Liz gave Alex's arm a squeeze in disapproval at the language she'd used. Tom and Elizabeth were only a year or so younger than Alex even though the two still acted like children sometimes but sometime, especially when it came to bad language, Liz was always scolding Alex like a mother would a child.

"Told ya I'm going back, I'll get him," Rick told Daryl. Shane looked at him with anger whilst Lori and Carl looked sad. Apparently Rick had not long found his way back to his family, and they were not letting him go anytime soon.

"Just tell me why?" Shane questioned Rick, "Why could you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?"

"Hey! Choose ya'll words more carefully," Daryl threw at him, along with a glare.

"Nah, I did. Douche bag's what I meant," Shane threw back, daring him his eyes to throw a punch first, "Merle Dixon, that guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst."

"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me. **I** can't let a man die of thirst – me. Thirst and exposure," Rick emphasized. "We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being."

"So you and Daryl? That's you're big plan," Lori cut in.

Rick turned to Glenn with a pleading look, who in turned flinched with a, 'Oh, come on.' Didn't look like he wanted to get involve either.

"You know the way; you've been there before – in and out, no problem. You said so yourself," Glenn looked uncomfortable as Rick tried to convince him, "I know it's not fair to ask, but I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too." Rick indicated to his wife. Glenn looked pained, torn.

Alex looked around her, no longer wanting to be around the group any longer. This was a personal conversation, and she was just an outsider to them. She slowly stood up, not wanting to draw attention to herself as they continued to argue. She slowly headed towards the RV, and sat on the steps, feeling it was far enough so she wasn't intruding the conversation but not far enough that she could still hear parts.

After what seemed like hours of them arguing about the number of people going, guns that were dropped on a previous trip into the city, and Rick leaving his family after just arriving, and keeping a promise to a man and his son whom had helped Rick the conversation turned to the newcomer of the group, Alex.

She was dreading this part.

"I'm sorry guys, but I don't trust her," Lori said apologetically to Tom and Liz.

"Why the hell not?" Tom grumbled, getting defensive. He wasn't about to lose his friend again, down to the group not liking her.

"She's not like you said."

"She's barely spoken a word to any of us, not even you guys," Shane explained Lori's statement.

"We don't know what she's been through," Rick stood up for her. He was right. None of them had any idea of what she'd been through the past month or so. Sometimes she'd hoped it was all a bad dream.

"Still not a good enough reason to trust her, she's been sneaking around the camp all day. Who knows what she would have done to any of us if Tom and Lizzy weren't around her all day," Shane bit back.

Daryl shuffled, before pulling something out his pocket.

"She's kitted out," he murmured, almost too low for Alex to hear. He flung what was in his hand into the ground near the fire for everyone to see. The glowing embers of the fire glinted off the dark stained metal of 3 of Alex's knives. A frown crept on her face, along with everyone else. How had he gotten them? She stood up and stormed towards him, cutting off what Rick was about to say.

"You been rifling through my stuff, you damn Redneck?" She snarled, squaring up to him. His eyes flashed with anger at the nickname that had stuck with him.

"We have every right to do what we must to protect our group," Shane shot up, ready to jump in.

"How do I know you guys aren't the dangerous ones?" Alex snapped back, eyes on him, "If you'd seen even half the shit I have, you'd be curled into a ball, crying for your mommy."

She turned, going to storm off away from them and to trees when Tom reached out and grabbed her hoodie – something she had yet to take off despite the heat during the day. Instead of stopping her, the force just ripped the hoodie down her arms and on to the ground. Alex stopped when she heard a few gasps. Her back still turned she could feel the cold slowly creeping up her arms, bare arms that the glowing embers showed the group the scars and bruises that littered them along with the heavily blood-stained shirt and a poorly bandaged left forearm which was also soaked in blood. A small sob from Liz made her break from her frozen state and retreat back to the RV, this time climb to the roof, and taking the watchman's seat that had set up – like she'd seen Dale, the old man who owned the RV, do earlier that day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thought I would post another, before going over these 3 chapters again and doing minor spelling editing. Feedback would be lovely :) **

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**Sleeping with a knife**

Alex had managed to get a few hours of peace whilst the group went back to chatting and eating the food that was handed around. She eyed the redneck as he returned to his own fire away from the group, still upset about the bruise that he'd given her.

Glenn eventually climbed up next to her juggling a hand full of things. First he handed her knives back to her.

"Rick wants you to put them to good use and help protect the group," he explained.

The next was a small first aid kit, then a bowl of unidentified meat. Noticing her weariness Glenn spoke up again, "Hope you like squirrel."

It explained why she saw Daryl skinning squirrels with anger after their small argument at noon.

"Fucking Redneck even collects road kill for dinner," she muttered more to herself than anyone else but Glenn still heard, and chuckled.

"He's got a temper but he's managed to keep us fed so far. Not that I'm his number one fan," he explained. The last item in his hand was her hoodie, a little dust after she left it on the floor. She went to snatch it from him, ignoring the food and the first aid kit, but he pulled it away. "Ain't you gonna clean your arm first?"

Alex looked down at it, before begrudgingly beginning to peel the blood soaked bandages away. Wincing as they pulled at the skin, Alex realised that the bandages where days, possibly a week old since she changed it.

"Can you get me something to clean it?" She gritting through her teeth as the cold air hit the open gash in her arm. Glenn started at it for a moment before nodding and heading off, looking a bit green in the face. She understood the look in his eyes without even look at it the wound. The cool air felt too good around the heated skin of her arm. The wound was turning infected. She watched as Glenn ran from person to person, each shaking their heads. The last person he approached, cautiously Alex noted, was Daryl. After an exchange of words, Glenn returned to the base of the RV.

"Come on," he waved and darted back to Daryl. With a sign Alex slowly lowered herself off the RV, struggling with just one arm, juggling the things like Glenn had. Landing on her feet with a stumble she trudged towards Dixon's camp, mumbling how'd she would rather die from an infection then have the redneck help her.

Glancing at the bottle in his hand, she hesitantly approached him.

"Its tha' closest we have ta rubbin' alcohol," he said, lifting the bottle of alcohol towards her.

"Whiskey is better," she told him. He signed and ducked back into his tent, returning with an almost empty bottle of whiskey.

"Merle will kill me," he mumbled grabbing her arm as he sat down, pulling her with him. She flinched as he prodded the torn skin and dried blood, "Stupid bitch, ya' fuckin' burning up."

Glenn who was stood over them quickly muttered about painkillers before darting away.

"What caused it?" Daryl questioned as he continued to poke at it.

"None of your fucking business," Alex snapped trying to pull away from his hands.

His hand tightened around the red and swollen skin, causing tears to prick behind Alex's eyes.

"Th' group maybe fine with you not givin' them answers, but I won't take it," He snapped, "If you want ya' arm fixin' I suggest you answer."

Alex signed, and tried to relax her arm, knowing that fighting wouldn't help.

"Ran into a few guys a week ago, tried to steal my stuff, and wasn't giving up without a fight."

"Same ones who gave you the scars?" his question muffled as he opened the bottle with his teeth, his spare hand dropping her arm and grabbing a cloth to put under it to soak the drink that would miss her arm.

She just shook her head, evasively. He passed her another cloth, to which she stared at confused.

"Put it in ya' mouth, don't want ya' damn screamin' ta attract walkers."

Alex flinched knowing that is was going to hurt like a bitch and complied with his suggestion, whilst trying to stop from panicking at the familiar feeling of a cloth being shoved in her mouth.

"Ready?"

Before she could nod, the amber liquid was hitting the sore skin. She held back a scream and instead focused on digging her bony fingers in to the surprisingly tense muscles of Daryl, attempting to mirror just a bit of the pain he was putting her through. After the bottle was empty he used the alcohol soaked rag to wipe the wound as Glenn and Tom reached them, the latter holding a small bottle of pain killers.

"Damn girl, you have a tight grip," Daryl grumbled, rolling his shoulder that Alex had attack. Alex smirked at him as she stood up, looking down at the freshly bandaged arm, and nodded in thanks before leaving him to himself.

Morning arrived too quickly for Alex's taste. She buried her face into her makeshift pillow, which consisted of a folded up blanket and her hoody, only to freeze when she heard someone enter the tent that had been given to her. She waited, waited for the person to attack her, steps too steady to be a bitter. A callous hand gripped her shoulder and that's all it took before she grabbed the person by the arm and flipping them onto their back before she dived on top of them as she gripped her knife from under her pillow and brought it to the person's neck in one swift motion.

Rick watched Alex's tent, and saw her being shove out of the tent.

"Get your fucking hands away from me!" she snarled, aiming a punch towards Shane who followed her out. Rick shook his head, knowing that letting him wake her was a bad idea. She was jumpy and bad-tempered something he had already learned within barely a day of meeting her.

"That bitch tried to kill me," He accused, pointing to a thin red mark across his neck, a tiny trick of blood escaping the corner.

"Shouldn't have fucking crept up on me," was her defence.

"How was I suppose ta' know ya' a jumpy bitch who sleeps with a knife under her pillow?" He yelled back, making many people look with shock towards the girl.

"Not sure if the memo reached that dim-witted brain of yours but the world has ended, the dead are walking, and a simple tent isn't going to stop people, bitters or alive, from killing me. I've had to defend myself the past month or so, so forgive me for defending myself when someone I barely know sneaking up on me," she snarled. Daryl noticed how much of a wild dog Alex was like. She'd mentioned that she'd been on her own for most of the time to the group the day before, but nobody has realised how much those few months had taken their toll on her. She was a wild dog, and judging by the scars that shone in the morning sun, a wild dog that had been beaten and god knows what else during her lone fight for survival. Tom had confirmed the scars where new, after she had gone to bed, although the short temper was a little worst then he remembered.

Shane threw her a dirty look before storming off, and everyone slowly returned to what they were doing.

Alex watched from a distance as Rick, T-dog, Glenn and Daryl sorted out the stuff they needed for their trip back to Atlanta. Daryl paced in the cube van, getting impatient, before using his foot over Glenn's shoulder to honk the horn, whilst yelling for them to 'Hurry their littl' asses.'

Alex eyed Shane as he handed Rick bullets from a duffel bag. They spoke for a few minutes, before Shane shot her a warning glance and turned back to Rick with an idea.

"-I just don't like her. Don't trust her around the camp. Who know what she'll do when you guy are gone. It'll make probably make Lori and the others feel a little safer if you take her with you guys. At least if anything does happen, four guys against a scrawny girl shouldn't be too hard." Alex heard him tell him as she slowly approached them silently. It was obviously Shane was on about her. "At least if…. If you did have to take her down, the kids don't have to see it." The last comment was hushed, but she still caught it. Rick pondered, before turning to her and nodding in the direction of the van. Alex understood and approached the van.

"This scrawny girl just managed to take your fucking arse down in 5 second," she shot at Shane, who looked taken back that she heard, but then hardened his face and turned away as Rick headed towards the front seat. Alex rolled her eyes as she stared into the back of the truck, and jumped in. "Looks like I'm stuck in the back with the fucking Redneck."

"My day just keeps getting betta'," was his sarcastic reply as he slammed the door down and the van started to move.

This was going to be a long journey for them all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Not One of the group.**

Rick signalled for Daryl to take out a bitter that was wandering around the department store, between clothing rails. He raised his crossbow as he reached it.

"Damn, you one ugly skank," he muttered before shooting it between the eyes.

"Don't think she thought much of you either, Dixon," Alex snorted as she followed everyone to the stairs. Reaching the roof door went without a problem. The chain was still intact, proving that the bitters hadn't torn the door down. T-dog when in with the bold cutters, And Daryl kicked the door open, rushing out into the heat. Everyone followed as he yelled out his brother's name. It wasn't until he reached the other side of the pipes did he scream "No!" over and over. Alex and the others were close behind, their faces falling at the bloody sight. And a severed hand.

Daryl's cries turned into heavy breathing, and Alex noted that he was pacing like a caged animal. Within seconds he flipped, cocking and aiming his crossbow at T-dog's head, the same time that Rick aimed his gun at Daryl's head and Alex jumped from the steel run over the pipes, hooked her bandaged forearm under his chin to lift his head to expose it to her readied knife.

"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears," Rick spoke sternly, "And I'm sure just a nod of my head and Alex will slit your throat."

Alex felt him tense against her before lowering his crossbow followed by Rick's gun and eventually, even after a few seconds hesitation, Alex stepped around from, lowering her knife. After several more steps she felt she was far enough away for comfort, but close enough to still attack if need be.

Daryl shook his head, clearing his face, before looking at T-dog, "You got a do-rag or something?" Alex pulled out the cloth he had given her the night before and threw it at him before T-dog even moved. He glanced at her, after recognizing the cloth, and then went to wrap the hand.

"Saw must have been too blunt for the cuffs," Alex added, as she picked up the bloodied hand saw, and held it up to Rick, "Recon Dale still wants this?"

Daryl indicated for Glenn to turn around, who realised what was going to happen and his face turned as green as the bag he was wearing as Daryl stuffed the hand into the backpack.

"Must 'a used a tourniquet - maybe his belt. More blood if he didn't," Daryl informed them, as he started to follow the trail of blood. Rick and T-dog followed him after a glance at each other. Alex looked at Glenn's discoloured face and indicated to the backpack before speaking.

"Want me to take it?"

He gave her a small pleading look and she reached her hand out for him to give it to her. After slinging it on her shoulders, she followed the group down some more stairs.

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Daryl shot an arrow into a bitter's head, just as Alex came to stand in the doorway of the office.

"I think that one, unlike the other, had a think for you," Alex joked, as the bitter stumbled and fell towards him. He shot her an un-amused look as he removed the bolt and stepped over her body.

Following the small trail, they entered a dishevelled room, with two bitters on the floor.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sum'bitches. One Handed," Daryl bent down to load his crossbow with a grunt, "Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."

"He would need a literal tough asshole to do that," Alex snorted to Glenn, as Rick spoke to Daryl.

Turning the corner, they stood in what looked like a kitchen doorway.

"Merle?" Daryl shouted.

"Still bitters around, douche bag," Alex hissed, kicking the back of his foot.

"Screw that. He could be bleeding out."

The five of them headed into the room, Daryl, Rick and Glenn looking at a burner that was left on whilst Alex looked for food and T-dog watched the door. Alex turned her nose up at some mouldy bread, turning around to hear Daryl say in an almost child-like way, "Ain't nobody can kill Merle, but Merle."

"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood," Rick warned him.

"Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap," Daryl commented, heading towards a broken window.

"Why the hell would he leave the building?" Glenn gasped, walking closer.

"He's out there alone as far as he knows; doing what he's got to do – Surviving." Daryl answered as he inspected the window.

"You call that surviving?" T-dog questioned, shocked, "Just wandering out in the street, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?"

"Damn hick is probably used to passing out in the gutter," Alex grumbled, flicking a mouldy pieced of bread away from her.

"More worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks," Daryl snapped at T-dog, shooting Alex a glare, and turned to Rick, "You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard."

"What about 1,000 dumb dead bastards?" Rick questioned, "Different story?"

"Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want. I'm gonna get him," Daryl stated, not liking that Rick didn't seem to cower like Glenn and T-dog. He went to move past Rick, who responded by pushing him back. "Get ya' hands off me! You can't stop me."

"I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel," Rick tried to reason with him, staring him down; "He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head."

Daryl nodded, backing down, and Rick turned to look at T-dog and Glenn, Alex left forgotten to the side.

"Only if we get those guns first," T-dog bargained, "I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?"

* * *

The five of the were sat in a small office, cramped with desks. Glenn and T-dog where sat leaning against one desk, whilst Rick stood in the middle of the room in front of a hand-drawn map. Daryl was near the door lent forwards listening to them plan, whilst Alex had cleared the desk in the corner and was lay on it, twirling a knife between her fingers listening to them bicker like children. She did not really bother letting their words sink in, until her name was mentioned.

"-Daryl, Alex and I will go."

"Why me?" Daryl questioned.

"Your crossbow is quieter than his gun, and Alex has her knives to back you up."

"I don't need nobody to watch ma' back," Daryl sulked.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to stab you in the back. If I did, I wouldn't be making it back to the camp alive," Alex snorted. Daryl, Glenn and T-dog looked at her questioningly, whilst Rick signed knowing this would be brought up. Alex stood up, a scowl on her face. "Oh! Has he not told you guys? Guess I'll warn you, for when shit goes to hell. Mister Officer Friendly here has orders from Officer Dickface to put me down like a dog if I step one toe out of line."

Glenn and T-dog looked shocked; Daryl just raised an eyebrow at Rick who turned to Alex.

"Shane did not order me to 'Put you down like a dog,' as you put it. He was just worried about your temper and thought it would be better if you were away from the camp whilst they were down 4 men."

"Bullshit. You and I both know that the first chance that douche bag gets he will put a bullet between the eye. Shoot first, questions later," Alex snarled.

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding to Glenn to continue.

"Whilst Daryl and Alex wait in the Alley," Glenn started again hesitantly, placing a clip on the map as a marker, "I run up the street, grab the bag."

"You got us somewhere else?" Rick questioned, taking an annoyed glance at Alex who had begun to carve chunks out of a desk, no longer listening to their plan.

After they had finished, Daryl turned to Glenn and asked, "Hey Kid, what you do before all this?"

"Delivered Pizzas. Why?" He looked confused. When no answer came, Alex spoke up;

"I'd like a large pepperoni, please," she snickered, earning a scowl from everyone. Alex turned and scowled back, "What? Fucking trying to lighten the mood."

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**So Alex was more in the back ground in this one. I felt she wouldn't jump into it as much as she would usually as she's only there because she's been told she has to go, plus she's still pissed about what Shane said.**

**I'm also trying to decide when to regularly update the story. Cause as of now, I'm just writing a few chapters and posting one. Soon enough I'm going to be back to my busy self, and wont have time to update everyday. Anymore thought I have on this idea, will be posted in future Notes at the end or beginning of chapters.**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Guns, It's all about the guns**

As Glenn, Daryl and Alex climb down a fire escape, in that order, Daryl looked up to check on Alex only to receive a face full of her ass.

"Hey, watch it girl, almost sitting on my face," he hissed, smacking her foot.

"Bet 'cha like that wouldn't you?" She snickered, shaking her hips tauntingly, before snapping, "Well hurry the fuck up, we ain't got all day."

Hurrying down the alleyway, they hid behind a dumpster.

"Ya' got some balls for a Chinaman," Daryl commented, as Glenn readied himself.

"I'm Korean."

Glenn took off, leaving Alex and Daryl stuck next to each other between two dumpsters. Seconds later and they both heard footsteps behind them. With a glance at each other and nod, they both shot out weapons drawn, to see a teenage boy.

"Whoa, don't shoot me! What do you want?" He yelled.

"Looking for my brother, he's hurt real bad. You see him?" Daryl advance towards him.

"Ayúdame!" the boy yelled over his shoulder.

"Shut the fuck up," Alex snarled, stepping behind the boy, her knife to his throat.

"Gonna bring the geeks down on us. Answer me," Daryl pressed.

"Ayúdame!" The boy kept repeating.

Daryl swung his crossbow and clocked the boy across the head, knowing if he kept yelling Alex would slit his throat. Unlucky for Alex, who was right behind him, the boy's head shot back bouncing off her still tender jaw and nose, sending them both to the ground. Daryl dragged the boy off her as she rolled to the side, cradling her nose and mouth, as he covered the boy's mouth.

"Darrlll!" Alex yelled to him, her words slurred from the mouth full of blood and a swollen lip. Two men were running towards them. One ran and kicked Daryl in the ribs whilst the other swung his metal bat at Alex's shoulder. The two continue to beat them as Glenn appeared in the mouth of the alleyway.

"That's it! That's the bag, Vato. Take it! Take it!" One of the guys yelled as the other ran forwards. They both launched themselves at Glenn. Alex saw Daryl crouching in the corner of her eye, crossbow raised. He launched a bow straight at one guys butt, who screamed in pain. Whilst they were distracted, Alex grabbed her smallest knife, which was hitting in her boot, and flung it at the other guy hitting him in the shoulder. They both back away from them as they both readied to attack again. A car screeched towards the alleyway, and they grabbed Glenn pulling him back with them. Alex shot up after them, only to receive a hard kick to the ribs, a crack echoing the alleyway as she fell back.

Alex's eyesight blurred, as her head bounced off the alleyway floor for the second time in 10 minutes. She vaguely saw Daryl run to shut the gate, to stop bitters, followed by yelling.

Few seconds later, she heard Rick yell out above her.

"Guys! We're cut off; Quick get to the lab, Daryl grabs Alex." She saw Rick himself grab the guns, as she struggled to pull herself away from Daryl as he pulled her to her feet.

"Fuuukking gettt off," she slurred, almost drunk-like.

"Ya' gonna get us both killed, stupid bitch," Daryl snarled in her ear, as retched her arm over his shoulder. He restrained her with his arm around her waist, as he practically dragged her. Rick saw them struggling and grabbed her from the other side.

* * *

Alex rubbed her head as the five men argued. She was leaning in a corner, several cloths around her that she had used to clean the blood from her face. Her nose was red and swollen and a bruise has spread from the bridge of her nose to underneath her eyes. Her bottom lip was split twice, also swollen and the small bruise from Daryl's punch on their first meeting had spread up her jaw. Several more bruises extended her arm, from the metal bat, and she suspected that she may have cracked a rib. Least to say, she was pissed especially as she seemed to receive the most damage, and that Daryl was responsible for the facial injuries.

"I told you, this littl' turd and his douche bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me," Daryl snapped, catching Alex's attention.

"Y's forget tha' where you almost knocked me out with 'that little turd's' head, and **we **got jumped," She snarled through her fat lip, sending them all a death glare.

They all ignored her, continuing their argument. When the kid made a comment about not naming his dog Merle, Daryl was ready to launch himself at the kid. Rick managed to get the upper hand and pushed him back. Daryl stumbled and tripping over Alex's sprawled legs, making her cry out when her ankle twisted and his arm swung and hit her sore rib.

"Right! That's fucking it!" She yelled, tackling the down Dixon, swinging her arm back to punch him in face. Daryl recovered from his fall and pushed her off, without a second thought. He headed towards Glenn's bag and retrieved the wrapped hand. T-dog crouched down to help Alex to her feet, to avoid another accident, despite her protests.

* * *

"One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass. Just so you know," Daryl warned the kid, as they got ready behind a wall in front of the gang's hideout.

"You say that to all the girls, Dixon…" Alex muttered, rolling her eyes. She was growing tired. Several bumps to the head had not done her the world of good, and several days without food – as she had given the food Glenn had given her the night before to Liz and tom – had taken its toll.

"G's gonna take that arrow out of my ass, and shove it up yours. Just so you know," The kid snapped back.

"Stop your pissing contest, or I'll slit both your throats," Alex hissed, shutting them both up. After standing and brushing the grass of she spoke a bit calmer to Rick, "I'm going to watch T's back. I'm no good to you down here in this state if anything goes down."

Rick nodded, watching her hobbled towards T-dog's direction.


	6. Chapter 6

**Attack**

After the gang situation had died down, and the group where heading back to the cube van, Alex couldn't wait to get back to the camp, lie down and sleep.

"Ya'll right?" Alex's eyes glanced over to Daryl, "You were pretty jumpy back there?" He was right. She was jumpy back at the gang's building. Surround by all those men, brought terrifying memories to light. She shook the memories away, just nodded.

"Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat," Glenn tried to lighten the mood, and this provoked a response out of Alex as she turned to Rick.

"I swear to god, if I just got the shit beaten out of me because of damn hat, I will ram one of Dixon's arrows up your arse," Her face looked serious, but the smirk told Rick otherwise.

"Don't tell anybody," he joked, winking. He glanced at her clutching her side, "How's the rib?"

"Been better. Can't wait to sit down and rest," She grumbled, struggling to keep up brisk pace.

"You've given away half out guns and ammo," Daryl butted in.

"Not nearly half," Rick corrected.

"For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die of momentarily anyhow?" He snipped, "Seriously how long you think they got?"

"How long have any of us got?" Rick muttered as they turned around the back of a truck. Staring at the gates before them, they saw no van.

"Who would take our van?" Daryl asked, shocked.

"A fucking Dixon Hick," Alex grumbled, eyeing Daryl unhappily. He smirked for a second, before realisation hit him;

"He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp."

Alex sighed, knowing the look they sent each other, and began to jog with a head start. This was going to be painful.

* * *

The sun had set, and they were nearing the camp. Alex dared to slow for a few moments, panting and struggling to breathe fully due to her crack rib. It wasn't until she and the group heard screams and gunshots nearby did they break out into a full sprint, a struggling Alex in tow.

Breaking through the tree line, they saw dead littering the ground, several bitters still walking and the group backed against the RV. Daryl grabbed an extra gun from the bag hanging off Rick's shoulders and flung it at Alex, whom was the only one out of the group who wasn't carrying one. She pumped the shot-gun, and shot a bitter who was heading for Daryl's turned back.

"Thanks," he grumbled loud enough over his shoulder as they slowly advanced towards the cornered group, picking off bitters as they went.

Rick screamed for his wife and son as he ran towards them as the camp fell quite, with the exception of sobs.

Alex eyed reflected panic as her eyes darted around the camp, her shirt stained with bitter's blood. Daryl saw the panic look and the blood.

"Ya' Bit?" He yelled to her, running over and grabbing her by the arms, trying to shake her out of her panic.

She shook her head, "Wh-where's Tom and Liz? I- I ca- I can't find them." her voice was weak, and her eyes slowly filled with tears.

It dawned on Daryl that despite her hard shell, Tom and Liz were still her best friends; the hard shell had just grown after they were parted. His eyes darted around, and fell on a sobbing Liz curled up on the ground and his heart sunk. Alex followed his eyes and saw her and instantly ran, screaming her name.

Liz looked up and saw her bloodied and bruised friend running towards her, she glanced at the body next to her as she was tackled into a hug.

Moment pasted before Alex pulled back, checking every inch of Liz for a single mark on her. Minus the blood and tears she was fine. It wasn't until she glanced down next to them did she find the reason for Liz's uncontrollable sobbing.

Tom.

He lay there looking peaceful, despite his left leg mangled, riddled with bites and blood. Alex felt her stomach jump to her throat, before running to the treeline and vomiting. Moments later she returned to her friend, embraced her and the two stayed like that.

* * *

The sun was high as people slowly drifted from the resting places. Nobody had much sleep. Many people approached Andrea, trying to pull her away from her sister, to apologize for her loss. Dale noticed from his perch on the RV that Alex had not moved an inch all night. At first he thought she was asleep sitting up, the emotional distress worn her down, until he saw her eyelashes flickering. Nobody had dared approach her, for two reasons. She was a new comer, nobody was close enough to her to sympathy and condole her, and for the main reason that she was guarding Tom's boy like an animal, her own body wrapped tight around Liz that Daryl wouldn't have been surprised if she'd stopped breathing.

Most of the body had been disposed of whilst the group's fallen where lined in the back of a truck, waiting to be buried. Even Amy was among the pile, with Andrea close by. Everyone just stood and started at Alex who was slowly rocking Liz and stroking her hair, like a mother would a child. Rick glanced at Daryl, nodding for him to back him up. Tom had yet to turn, but they weren't taking chances. As they slowly approached, Alex continued to stare at the same spot, but Liz tried to turn in her strong grasp.

"Y'all okay?" Rick asked, softly. Liz nodded, a pained look on her face, whilst Alex just ignored them.

"I'm thirsty," Liz muttered weakly. Rick nodded to her, as Shane brought a bucket of water over. Liz was clearly dehydrated, and hungry, and if she was then god knows how bad Alex was. Everyone had noticed that night when she gave up her food to Tom and Liz. And along with her nasty injuries and several bumps to the head, her health was slowly deteriorating.

"Alex?" Rick lowered himself towards the girl, "Alex, can you let go of Liz."

Nothing.

Rick sigh, and went to place a hand on her shoulder to shake her. Within the second he had, Alex instantly shoved Liz behind her and swinging one of her knives in front of her. The tip just grazed Rick's palm, as Shane reached his arms around the struggling girl and put her in a headlock to stop her from injuring others. She wasn't going down without a fight though.

Alex continued to swing her arms wildly, and used her feet to attempt to kick Shane's legs from under him. Liz ran towards Lori during the struggle, something that Rick had told her to her over the yells of her friend.

Daryl dropped the pick he was holding and darted towards the violent and panicked girl. He reached out and grabbed the hand with her knife, stopping her from injuring him as he stood between her and Rick. Her yells became more frantic as Daryl and Shane enclosed on her, sandwiching her.

"Let go," Daryl snapped at Shane.

"So she can fucking kill us all? I don't think so," Shane yelled, his arms tensing around her throat more. Alex landed a sharp knee towards Daryl, landing straight on his jewels. He tensed, eyes watering at the pain but he didn't let go. Instead he wrapped each of his own legs around hers, stilling her thrashing legs. Unfortunately this meant both of their weight was on Shane, pushing him back. With both of the men's bodies pressed against her own she started to hyperventilate, struggling to breath against Shane's chokehold.

"She's having a panic attack!" Dale managed to yell out, getting their attention, "God knows what she's been through when she was alone trying to survive. And now she has you three ganging up on her when she's vulnerable. She's obviously going to attack."

"Shane, let go," Rick ordered. Shane hesitated for a few moments, not liking the idea before he loosened his hold and quickly backed up from harm's way. Rick followed, making sure everyone was at a safe distance, and whilst Daryl slowly loosened his own hold her as he noticed her struggles and thrashing had become almost pitiful.

As soon as he pulled away, only his hand around her knife wielding arm left, she dropped to the floor like a stone almost pulling the Dixon down with her.


	7. Chapter 7

**You're killing us**

"Told you the bitch is unstable," Shane declared, as he and Rick stood a few feet from a rocking Alex. Nobody dared to stay in a close proximity after the situation that had arisen quickly. Daryl had managed to remove any visible weapons on her, but he had a sneaky feeling that she had plenty hidden in areas he did not want to go.

Dale slowly approached the two ex-sheriffs, followed by a broody Dixon. The funerals had already been held, minus Toms who still lay behind Alex's form still unmoving, and everyone had started to mournfully pack up, deciding it wasn't safe here anymore.

"She's been through a lot. Even she said she's seen some terrifying stuff, from living people, over the past month. What if one group she came across didn't just try to take her stuff, but also …." Dale trailed off, unable to continue the thought, a thought that still ran through everyone's head never the less. "Even Liz says she's changed a lot. She's no longer the gentle and kind girl she was. That kind of stuff changes a person. People are desperate to survive out there, and sometimes take what they want, not matter the consequences."

Rick nodded before stepping up to the vulnerable girl, as he did he noticed she visibly tensed as he drew close.

"We're heading out in the morning, heading to the CDC," He told her hoping for a response, any kind of response, even an insult on how stupid the idea was. But nothing came. "I would like it very much if you came along. We need all the man power we can get, and Liz needs a friend now, as do you."

Rick watched as she turned to look at him as he mentioned the 27-year-old girl. Her only answer was a nod before turning to watch the body of her other friend, just waiting for a movement.

Rick knew that was all he was going to get from her, so he slowly turned away and walked back to the camp fire that was being lit, ready to make the group meal.

The night came in and the group continued to eye the silent girl, who still hadn't moved from her watchful spot. Rick had given her a bowl of food and a cup of water, hoping she would break out of the stupor.

* * *

Morning came and the camp gathered around the burned out fire ready to head out.

"Where's Alex?" Rick asked before starting, noticing her gone and Tom's body where no longer in its spot.

"He turned early hours of the morning. She took care of it and went to bury him. Asked if she wanted help, but she wasn't having any of it," T-dog informed them. Daryl looked over to where his truck was parked; noticing it was still there despite knowing T-dog had the keys for when the boy turned in the night. T-dog followed his gaze before answering the silent question, "She carried him."

"Damn girl is gonna die of sun-stoke one day," the Dixon muttered to himself, as Rick and Shane began to explain the plan of getting to the CDC.

As everyone got into their own cars, as Alex slowly trudged her way towards the parked cars. She looked around searching for Liz, only to see her getting into sit next to Shane. She then realized that all the cars where full with either people or supplies leaving her with one option, with the Redneck. Frowning, she watched as the others began to slowly leave the clearing.

"Come on girl," Daryl yelled to her, throwing her backpack to her as he opened the driver's side door, "Looks like you're stuck wit' me."

After an unimpressed sigh she followed, dumping her bag next to her feet after she settle in the passenger's seat.

"My day just keeps getting better," she smirked, repeating Daryl's own words.

"Shut it, city girl."

* * *

When they finally reached the CDC, it was not a sight they wanted to see. Bodies and flies where everywhere. Shane and Rick herded the group quietly towards the CDC building, most of them coughing and gagging. Alex raised the neck of her tank-top up to cover her nose and mouth, oblivious to the face that she was allowing Andrea, T-dog, Daryl and Liz to see a large red scar that wrapped from the back of her right hip and rose up and across toward her spine, disappearing under her shirt.

"Alright, everybody keep moving. Just stay quiet," Shane whispered to them, herding them past him.

The group broke out into muttered as they drew closer to the building, the bodies getting denser. Alex looked back reaching her hand out for Liz and bring her closer to her, wrapping a protective arm around her as her other arm dropped her shirt and grabbed her knife from her hip.

Once they reached the building Rick and Shane struggled to open the shutter, resorting to banging on them.

"There's nobody here," T-dog spoke out, sounding their fears.

"Then why are the shutters down? Someone has to be inside," Rick threw over his shoulder.

"Walkers!" Daryl warned, locking an arrow into place. He shot the oncoming walker, before storming towards Rick and Shane, "You led us into a graveyard!"

"He made a call," Alex spoke up, trying to hush him, eyeing their surroundings. Who knew how many Walkers lurked around the corner.

"It was the wrong damn call!" He yelled back at her, causing her to scowl.

"Shut up! Just shut up. You hear me?" Shane stormed towards him, grabbing his shirt before turning towards Rick, "Rick, this is a dead-end."

The group began to slowly argue among themselves as Alex edged away, eyeing the dead bodies, Knife waiting. Everyone began to rush towards the cars, but Rick stopped them, "The camera! It moved!"

Another argument broke out as Rick began to bang on the doors, screaming at the camera, whilst the children and their mothers began to cry.

"Rick, it's useless. We need to go, before we're overrun again," Alex muttered, placing her hand on his shoulder. He glanced down at the hand for a moment in which Shane took the moment to grab him and drag him away. Just as they did, the shutter raised sending a bright light out towards them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Safety?**

"Anybody infected?" Someone yelled out from the shadows, after a gun cocked. The group spun to look in the direction as Alex and Daryl shut the door behind them, stopping the walkers from entering.

"One of our group was, he didn't make it," Rick spoke up.

Alex looked at the ground. She felt guilty that she was wallowing in her own misery to not even bother to help and say good-bye to Jim, despite that she barely knew him. In face she barely knew anyone here, minus Liz.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man stepped closer and Alex watched behind him, expecting more.

"It's the fucking CDC, isn't it? A chance would be bloody lovely," Alex spoke up, standing level with Rick as he lowered his gun.

"That's asking an awful lot these days," he replied, scowling at Alex. She stepped forwards as he did.

"So is putting all our trust in someone who almost left us out there to die," she snarled. The guy glanced around at the scared faces of the children and their mothers, before speaking again.

"You all submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission."

"We can do that," Rick spoke up, knowing that Alex would throw an insult at him if Rick didn't step in.

"Aw hell no," She muttered under her breath.

"You have stuck to bring in, bring it in now. Once this door closes, it stays closed," The guy told them.

After a few moments of Rick, Shane, Glenn, Daryl and Alex rushing and grabbing all the bags they would need and returning to the building, the doors shut behind them.

"Vi, seal the main entrance," The guy spoke into an intercom that flashed green, "Kill the power up here."

Rick and the guy introduced themselves before everyone crammed into an elevator. Alex stood in the corner, glad she had her backpack to shield her body away from Daryl's back, who stood in front of her.

"Doctors always go 'round packin' heat like that?" Daryl questioned the doctor.

Alex snorted, "Fuckin' redneck knows nothing," jamming her backpack into the back of his knees as he turned to glare at her.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough," Jenner answered, turning to face everyone, before looking at Carl, "Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you."

* * *

Everyone around the table laughed, as Dale tried to convince Lori to let her son try some wine. After the boy had tried some, and declared how nasty it was, Shane spoke up;

"Best just stick to soda pop, bud."

"Not you, Glenn," Daryl finally spoke up, his red from the alcohol, "Keep drinking littl' man. I wanna see how red your face can get."

Everyone laughed.

"Not as red as yours," Alex muttered into her almost empty glass of wine, downing it.

"Glass here, _Princess_," Daryl ordered, throwing her a joking snare. She raised an eyebrow, pushing the glass towards him.

"If I didn't know you better, Dixon, I would say you were trying to get me drunk," she commented, taking the glass after he filled it with Southern Comfort. She eyed the liquid, before downing half the glass.

"Wanna see your face go red too," he mumbled back, drinking from the bottle.

Rick tapped his glass with a knife, getting everyone's attention, before standing up.

"Seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly," Rick spoke up.

"He is more than just our host," T-dog joined in.

"Hear, Hear."

"Here's to you doc, booyah!" Daryl raised the bottle in his hand, sloshing some of the liquid down Alex's top as he stumbled over her chair. She reached out and grabbed his shirt, to stop him from falling over.

"Damn Redneck. Thought you'd be able to hold a bit of liquor," She joked, and he slung an arm around her as she helped him to his chair.

"So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, doc?" Shane asked with eyebrow rose in question. The room fell silent, all laughter gone and replaced by a serious tone. "All the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?"

"We're celebrating, Shane," Rick cut in, "No need to do this now."

"Whoa, wait a second. This is why we're here, right? This was your move – Supposed to find all the answers. Instead we found him," Shane jabbed a thumb in Jenner's direction accusingly, "We found one man. Why?"

"When things got bad a lot of people just left, went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted," Jenner explained.

"Every last one?" Shane asked, happy he was getting answers.

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door. They … opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time."

"You didn't leave. Why?" Andrea spoke up.

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good."

"Thanks for being the buzzkill, Officer dickface," Alex snapped at Shane, who just rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Most of the facility is powered down, including housing, so you'll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power. Same applies if you shower; go easy on the hot water," Jenner told them before leaving them in the hallway.

"Hot water?" Glenn turned to Alex.

"That's the doc said," she grinned, smacking Glenn on the back as they all began to find a room to settle into.

Alex and Liz found a room at the end of the corridor, and took their stuff inside.

"I'll shower first, you unpack the blankets," Alex told Liz, grabbing a change of clothes.

* * *

"That was fucking amazing," She grinned as she came back into the room, chucking her dirty clothes on her backpack, "Go on, I'll wait for you here."

Liz rushed off, a smile on her face.

A few minutes later, she heard the door open and close as she shuffled through her bag. A thud followed.

"That was quick, even for you," she laughed, turning around. After see Daryl on the couch her smile dropped, "Oi Dixon, this room is taken."

He just grumbled into the cushions and Alex shook her head knowing that he would be dead weight now, so she just left to find him a room that she could roll him into.


	9. Chapter 9

**What the hell is going on?**

After hearing voices yelling from the rec room Alex stopped, recognizing them as Shane and Lori's. The sound of Shane storming to the door forced her to hide, fuming from his actions upon Lori. As soon as the door opened and slammed shut Alex darted out and grabbed him by the throat, pushing him against the wall.

"I swear to god, I see you try to take advantage of Lori, or anyone for that matter, again I will beat you to within an inch of your life and rip off your ball," She snarled. Letting him go, he readjusted his shirt, only to be knocked back into the wall as Alex swung her fist at his cheek.

Still fuming, Alex stormed back to her claimed room and saw Daryl still on the couch with Liz looking confused. Alex ran a hand through her wet hair, forgetting about finding a room for him. Instead she held a finger up to Liz, telling her to wait a minute, as she went to the Dixon. Struggling with his dead weight, Alex finally managed to grab him by the shirt and roll him onto the floor from the couch without him even waking. Rolling him a little further away she stopped, breathing heavily.

"There you go," she gestured to the couch.

"What about you?" Liz asked, confused as she settled down to sleep.

"I'll be right here," she patted the floor next to the couch, a big enough space for her to wiggle between the couch and Daryl, "Don't want Dixon to try and climb on the couch when you're asleep."

* * *

"Eggs. Powdered, but I do 'em good," T-dog announced after Rick arrive in a small canteen area where they were eating breakfast, "Bet you can't tell. Protein helps the hangover."

Alex grinned as Glenn groaned and T-dog stuffing eggs onto his plate. She watched as Daryl slowly shuffled into the room, a scowl on his face.

"Morning sleeping beauty," Alex greeted him, handing a plate to him. He groaned, as he fell into a seat next to her.

"Did I crash in y'all room last night?" He questioned, eyeing Alex and Liz. Liz nodded nervously.

"Yeah, and you wacked me in your sleep," Alex muttered, rubbing her cheek.

"Well you pushed me on tha' floor," he argued.

"You stole Liz's bed," Alex reasoned. Daryl just grunted, the door opening again and Shane walked in. He grabbed a coffee as T-dog saw his face.

"The hell happened to you?" he asked, gaining everyone attention. Alex's eyes remained on her plate, knowing the damage she had done to it.

"Must'a done it in my sleep, rolled over and banged into something," he gave them an excuse.

Alex snickered as Rick spoke to him, looking concerned. Daryl threw her a look, and she grinned.

Jenner walking into the room and everyone greeted him.

"Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with question first thing," Dale began.

"But you will anyway."

"We didn't come here for the eggs," Andrea told him.

"Which are awful," Alex joked, throwing T-dog a wink.

Jenner looked at them all before heading to the main room, asking them to follow.

Pressing a button, Jenner spoke again, "Give me playback of TS-19."

The Computer replied, the main screen flickering to life and filled with images of a brain.

"Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few," Jenner told them.

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked.

"An extraordinary one." Jenner told him, before muttering, "Not that it matters in the end. Take us in for EIV."

The computer rotated and enhanced the brain.

"What are those lights?" Shane spoke up.

"It's a person's life - Experiences and memories - It's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you. The thing that make you unique. And human," Jenner explained. Alex stepped closer, subconsciously between Daryl and Liz.

"You don't make sense ever?" Daryl asked, looking towards Jenner.

"They're synapses," Alex spoke up, making everyone turn to her a little shocked, "Electric impulses in the brain that carry messages. They determine what you say, do or think from as soon as you're born."

"Till the moment of death," Jenner added.

"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick asked, stepping closer.

"Yes," Jenner answered, "Or rather the playback of the vigil."

"This person died?" Andrea asked, looking sadly up at the screen, "Who?"

"Test Subject 19. Someone who was bitten and infected and volunteered to have us record the process," Jenner told her, "Vi, scan forwards to the first event."

The computer beeped and fast forwards to the event, a dark mark seeping into the brain and killing the flickering lights.

"What is that?" Glenn asked, shocked.

"Meningitis?" Alex asked, turning to Jenner.

"It invades the brain like meningitis," Jenner turned to her, surprised someone knew a little, "The adrenal gland haemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs. Then death. Everything you ever where or ever will be… gone."

After a few murmurs and a few sobs and Alex pulled Liz closer to her, Lori explained that they'd lost a few of their own people, two days ago.

The computer scanned to the second event after Jenner commanded it to.

"The resurrection times vary wildly. We have reports of it happening in as little as three minutes, the longest we heard of was eight hours," Jenner said, "In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute, and 7 seconds."

A red flickering started in the brain stem, but remained there, leaving the rest of the brain dark.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asks.

"No, it's just the brain stem," Alex told her, "Just gets them moving. The 'you' part is still dead, lifeless."

"The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part – that doesn't come back," Jenner added, "Just a shell, driven by mindless instinct."

"God, what was that?" Carol asked, as a flash of white light shot through the brain.

"He shot his patient in the head. Didn't you?" Andrea asked.

Jenner ignored her and powered down the main screen and workstations.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea pushed.

"Microbial, Vial, Parasitic, fungal?" Alex listed.

"Or the wrath of God?" Jacqui spoke up.

"Could be any," Jenner answered.

Alex looked around frustrated, and her eyes landed on a confused looking Daryl. "What?"

"How'd you know all that stuff?" He muttered, not paying attention to the conversation continuing on behind Alex. Liz looked at them both, knowing Alex wouldn't answer.

"She's a- Well, She **was** a doctor," Liz answered. Daryl scowled.

"And you wasn't going to tell us," He snapped, gesturing to the group.

"Like anything I know is useful anymore in this broken world. And I wasn't a doctor. I was still training," Alex argued back.

"It's still fuckin' useful. Wha' if someone got injured?" Daryl asked.

"I couldn't save Tom, never mind patch up my own injures," she told him, gesturing to her own scars and semi-healed arm. Daryl looked at her with a saddened look in his eyes; Alex blamed herself for being un-able to save her friend. He turned to the group, catching the last of the conversation.

"Man, I'm gonna get shit-faced drunk again. Joining me this time?" Daryl spoke up, walking away from Alex as he spoke to her over his shoulder. She just shook her head at his turned back.

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but-," Dale started, making his way across the room with all eyes on him as he jabbed a finger at what had piqued his interest, "That clock, it's counting down. What happens at zero?"

"The basement generators; they run out of fuel," Jenner told him, hesitantly.

"And then?" Rick questioned, only for Jenner to begin walking away from the group, "Vi, what happens when the power runs out?"

"When the power runs out Facility-wide decontamination will occur," the computer spoke. Dread filled Alex's stomach as she gripped Liz closer to her. After several small arguments between the group, Shane, Rick, Glenn and T-dog when to check the basement generators, almost hoping that Jenner was wrong. Alex instructed that Liz should pack their stuff up as everyone retreated to their rooms, waiting for an answer.

The lights began to switch off and people began to pop their heads out their rooms, as Jenner strolled down the hallway.

"Energy us is being prioritized," Jenner told them, grabbing the bottle swinging from Daryl's hand. He took a sip, "It's not up to me. Zone 5 is shutting itself down."

Alex grabbed hers and Liz's bags, as everyone began to move towards the main room.

"Hey! Hey, what the hell does tha' mean?" Daryl yelled out, before overtaking the doctor, "Hey, man, I'm talking to you. What do y'all mean it's shuttin' itself down? How can a building do anything?"

"Typical Redneck, doesn't understand technology," Alex snorted, as Rick, Shane, Glenn and T-dog ran to join them in the main room.

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark. Right on schedule," Jenner explained to Rick, pointing to the clock which showed '31.28' in bright red numbers.

Jenner stopped before ascending to the computers, everyone else stopping behind him, and went to pass the bottle back to Daryl, who snatched it back. "It was the French."

"What?" Andrea looked confused.

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While out people were bolting out the doors, and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution," He explained.

"Thought? What happened?" Alex spoke up, with a frown.

"Same thing that's happening here, no power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?" Jenner walked away towards the computers.

After Rick told Lori to grab their things, everyone else went and did the same. Alex, Liz, Jenner and Rick stayed at the computers as an alarm began to blare out.

"30 minutes to decontamination," Vi announced, answering everyone's questions.

"Doc, what's going on here, damn it?" Daryl yelled out. People continued to yell to each other, panic setting in as the doors slammed shut.


	10. Chapter 10

**Not Dead yet**

"He just locked us in!" Glenn yelled out.

"You son of a bitch!" Daryl yelled out.

"Shane, Alex!" Rick yelled, grabbing their attention and pointing to the foul-tempered Dixon as he stormed towards the Doctor.

"You locked us in here!" he yelled as he grabbed the doctor by the back the neck. Both Shane and Alex followed him, diving into him, Shane grabbing him and picking him up and Alex snatched the bottle out of him as he went to throw it.

"Hey, Jenner, open that door now," Rick ordered him calmly as he walked towards him, determined.

"There's no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed." Jenner told him, straightening his white lab coat.

"Well open the damn things," Dale yelled out.

"That's not something I can control, the computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that," He told them.

"We didn't think you mean it fucking literally," Alex sneered at him, from behind Shane. Everyone stood still, his words dawning on them.

"It's better this way."

"What is?" Rick snapped, "What happens in 28 minutes?"

Jenner turned to his computer. Rick glanced at Shane, who stepped forwards and knocked the doctor's chair, as Rick repeated his words louder this time.

"Do you know what this place is?!" Jenner shot up, yelling in Rick's face then turned to do the same to Shane, "We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!"

After the Doctor's rant, he breathed a few seconds before returning to his seat. "In the event of a catastrophic power failure – in a terrorist attack for example – HITs are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out."

"HITs?" Rick asked.

"Vi, define."

"HITs, high-impulse thermobaric fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition, that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive accept nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000 and 6,000 degrees and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired," Vi explained, everyone breaking into sobs as everything dawned on them.

"It sets the air on fire?" Alex frowned, "What kind of sick fucker designed that?!"

"No pain," Jenner muttered, Rick turning to look at him, "An end to sorrow, grief, regret."

Everyone looked at Jenner in horror.

"Open the damn door!" Alex heard Daryl screaming as he smashed a bottle against the door. She was in too much shock to even insult actions. She didn't even look up when Shane and Daryl began to hack at the doors which fire axes; Liz snuggled into her side sobbing. Jenner's words about a short, brutal life and an agonizing death cut through her mind, and her arms began to tremble around her friend. She didn't even make a move to help Rick and Shane, stop Daryl from caving the Doctor's head in, making Lori look at her in worry and wondered if she had lost it like when Tom had died.

"Open that door, or I'm going to blow your head off. Do you hear me?!" Shane yelled at the doctor, a gun jammed against his face. Alex heard the mumbling of everyone trying to convince him to back off, interrupted by Shane's screaming. Several gun shots rang out, snapping Alex out of the state she was in. Instantly she dived for Shane, turning the gun upwards and hitting the light, before snatching it and whacking him with the butt of the gun. On the floor, she stood with her feet either side of him gun poised to knock him out if he moved.

"Watch where you're shooting that damn thing!" She screamed at him, tossing the gun away, and looked back at the computers he shot. Everyone followed her eyes and realized that the computers was just above where she was sat not even a minute ago, with Liz now pushed to the side away from the sparking metal.

Everything was silent as Alex walked away from Shane, not without sending a kick to his ribs, before Rick spoke up.

"I think you're lying."

"What?" Jenner looked up.

"You're lying about no hope. If that were true, you'd have bolted with the rest or taken the easy way out. You didn't. You chose the hard path. Why?" Rick inquired.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. It always matter. You stayed when others ran. Why?" He pushed.

"Not because I wanted to. I made a promise to her," He told them, pointing at the screen, "My wife."

"Test subject 19 was your wife?" Lori asked with realization on her face.

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no?" Jenner defined, the loud thuds of Daryl pounding on the door with the axe in the background, "She was dying. Should've been me on that table. I wouldn't have mattered to anybody. She was a lost to the world. Hell, she ran this place, I just worked here. In our field, she was an Einstein. Me? I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could have done something about this. Not me."

"Next you'll be saying you're just a janitor, not an actual Doctor," Alex sneered. Rick threw her a disapproving look, before turning back to Jenner.

"Your wife didn't have a choice. You do. That's all we want – a choice, a chance."

"Let us keep trying as long as we can," Lori finished.

"I told you topside's locked down. I can't open those," Jenner said, looking defeated as he moved to a keypad.

A whirling sound and the sound of Daryl's "Come on!" confirmed the opening of the door. Everyone ran, Alex pulling Liz behind her ignoring all the commotion of Jacqui staying.

The stairs where dark as everyone ran up them two at a time, nobody wanting to waste the 4 minutes they had left.

Once they reached topside, they saw Jenner's words where true. There was no way of opening the doors. After trying axes, a chair and even a gun, Carol ran forwards with her back claiming she may have something to help. Alex didn't even listen to Shane's smart remark as she checked to see if Liz was okay.

Glenn yelled to look out, and she looked around to see Rick diving towards her. She quickly pushed Liz now as an explosion went off near the glass, sending Rick tumbling into her legs, knocking her over.

After she got up and check Rick and Liz where okay, she looked around at the group.

"Where are Dale and Andrea?" She spoke up but Daryl just pushed her forwards, urging her to go. Jumping out the window Shane threw Alex the axe he was holding, favouring a gun instead. They all ran towards the cars getting. Alex urged Liz into Shane's car, looking back to see Dale and Andrea running towards them.

"Stay here," she ordered Liz before heading to a walker that was slowing heading towards Dale and Andrea. She launched the axe at its head and pulled it out, kicked the walker to the ground.

"Come on," Daryl's voice startled her as he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her towards the safety of the truck. Once inside, he pushed her down into the console of the truck just as the explosion went off.

* * *

As the caravan of cars of trucks turned around in the road, Alex chuckled.

"Damn girl, I think you've finally lost it," Daryl commented, warily glancing at her. She fell back to rest her head on the worn headrest.

"What? Not lost anything," She grinned at him, before muttering to herself but loud enough for him to hear.

"Not dead yet."

* * *

**I did want to also post chapter 10 today as I feel that is when the story begins to pick up, showing a lot of Alex and Liz's characters and developing them and their back stories. But unfortunately after a long night of writing, I lost the file and I'm a bit too frazzled to re-write it quite yet. So it will possibly be up in a few days.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I had originally wrote this a few nights ago, but when I came to check it, the file was missing. So I tried to re-write this as close as possible to the original version, but I'm pretty disappointed in it and was unable to spend much more time trying to sort it out.**

* * *

**Missing Girl**

Towards the end of the second day travelling the caravan decided to stop at a nearby set of houses. The group cleared one of the houses as Rick wanted them to stay together, safety in numbers. When they were done checking rooms for left behind supplies everyone settled down, ready to make a plan.

Alex quickly exited the room, to avoid the arguments and tempers and knowing that her input would not help. As she left, she muttered something about Siphoning gas from the abandoned cars along the road.

She left the car nearest to the house till last and when she'd reached it the group had finished their plans, Shane, Rick, Daryl and T-dog exiting the house.

"Plans, Sherriff?" Alex asked Rick over her shoulder, barely paying attention to the pipe in front of her.

"Fort Benning," He told her, after a glance towards Shane.

"Hundred and twenty-ish miles? Think we can make it on the gas we have?" Just as Alex finished, the gas began to flow from the car's tank, spraying her with gasoline and some even getting in her mouth. With quick reactions she put the end inside the canister they were collection it in, and began to spit and cough the horrible and burning taste from her mouth.

"Stupid girl, can't do anythin' right," Daryl muttered darkly, slapping Alex on the back sharply as he walked past with another pipe and canister.

"Leaving some of the cars," Rick told her, nodding towards T-dog and Daryl who were now Siphoning gas from some of their own cars, "Sticking to the RV, the station wagon and Daryl's bike."

Alex glanced over at them again, realizing that Daryl was in a foul mood due to them having to leave his truck. The bike was actually Merle's, one of the few things he'd told her during their uncomfortable two-day ride together. Alex shivered at the thought of that night they had to stay in their cars for the night. Boy, did Daryl get grumpy. Alex had tried to insist that she would drive for some of the night, so he could get some sleep, but he got snappy. He also got snappy at her, even yelled several times and threatened to kick her out, when she would jump and pull her knife out when the truck shook. A few hours in, and Daryl had made her remove all her knives from her person, not feeling safe that she wouldn't wound him.

She was knocked out of her thoughts when she saw Shane offering her a water bottle.

"Make it last, ain't got many," he told her before walking back into the house. Rick patted her on the shoulder, thanking her for her help, before following him.

Alex sighed, sipping the water, and fell back to lean again the car's wheel. Tonight was going to be another long night. She'd hated being cramped in a truck with Daryl, but being cramped in a small room with everyone was going to be worse. She stood up after a few minutes, her throat still burning, and glanced at the two again before heading inside. She would rather be cramped inside then endure Daryl's moody wrath.

The next morning everyone began to move their packs and supplies to the two remaining cars. It didn't take long, as they were running low on supplies. Shane and Alex stood at the back of the RV discussing the supplies they had and how they should ration, but Alex could see him looking over her shoulder towards Rick and his family. It was decided that Rick and his family would go with Carol and Sophia in the station wagon whilst everyone else would be in the RV, minus Daryl who would drive his brother's bike. Alex again didn't agree on the cramped space but kept her mouth shut, knowing she would have to just deal with it.

"Shane, Alex, Let's saddle up," Dale yelled out, catching their attention. Alex followed behind Shane to the door, but stopped. Liz looked at her with sympathy, knowing the look of panic. Despite her friend changing over the past few months, Liz had begun to realise the walls she had put up; the same walls when Alex's mother had passed away 10 years ago. The walls where stronger but they were the same ones, making her easier to read.

"Maybe there's room with Carol," She told her.

Alex glanced over and shook her head. Dale smiled at her, before turning to look over Alex's shoulder.

"Daryl, got room for one more?" Dale asked, placing a hand on Alex's shoulder as she turned to look at the brooding Dixon. The answer was just a shrug, something that reminded Alex of her when her younger sister was a moody teenager. Trying to shake the memories of her family, she just pushed down her panic and stepped into the RV.

* * *

The ride was more than uncomfortable. Dale had suggested that she could sit up front with him and be the map reader so she could distance herself from the others, even if just by a little. But Shane was constantly checking the map over her shoulder for the first hour, until he gave up and began to take apart the guns and clean them.

Alex just watched the trees as they drove carefully along a highway.

"How about your family?" Dale spoke up, "What were they like?"

"My family were…nice," Alex paused, looking down, "I lived in my own apartment, with my... baby brother."

Dale smiled at her knowing that he wasn't get much more out of her, not today anyway.

* * *

"Oh, jeez," Dale said, making everyone turn to look out front. In front of them was a turned over truck and several abandoned cars. The RV can to stop, not seeing a way through. The rumbles of a bike grew louder, as Daryl slowly rolled up next to Dale's window.

"See a way through?" Dale asked him. Daryl looked over his shoulder before nodding and gesturing for him to follow him, before driving around the RV. Dale started to move the RV slowly forwards, after the Dixon.

"Maybe we should just go back. There's an interstate bypass…" Glenn suggested, pointing at the map.

"We can't spare the fuel," Dale told him, eyes on the road.

The RV weaved between cars, as Alex and the others looked upon is grimly. This was a graveyard.

A minutes of silence and there was a sudden hiss followed by smoke from the front of the RV, before the engine sputtered and stopped.

"I said it, didn't I say it?" Dale grumbled, following Alex out the RV, "A thousand times, dead in the water."

"Problem, Dale?" Rick asked as he approached them.

"Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of…" Dale began to rant, before turning and seeing the cars littering around them, "Okay, that was dumb."

"If you can't find a radiator hose here…" Shane muttered as he watched Daryl look through the back of a car.

"Whole bunch of stuff we can find," Daryl spoke up.

"I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start," T-dog said walking to the nearest car.

"Maybe some water."

"Or food," Glenn added.

"This is a graveyard," Lori spoke up, a grim look on her face. Everyone stopped and looked at her. "I don't know how I feel about this."

"Lori, we have to survive. Some morals don't work in this world anymore, they just get you killed. Someone else is just going to come by and take all this anyway. At least if we do it, we'll do it with respect of the original owners, and for the children in this group," Alex told her. Everyone stayed still for a few moments before they began to slowly move to start a task.

Alex wandered between the cars passing Daryl and T-dog, who were siphoning gas from cars. Every so often she would approach a car and shuffle between the stuff in the back, looking for any tinned foods.

After a few silent minutes she saw T-dog running towards her, his shirt covered in blood. Instantly she grabbed him and pulled him towards the car.

"Walkers," He hissed, "Caught my arm on a door." Alex sighed in relief that he wasn't bit. She looked around trying to find something to cover his arm, to stop the bleeding, but found nothing. With hesitation she grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, ignoring that T-dog was now staring wide-eyed at her sports bra. She held the top to his arm, and ordered him to apply pressure. T-dog nodded but soon fell back onto the car, pulling Alex with him. A few seconds later and she felt someone pulling T-dog away from her, and she turned to see Daryl crouched behind her. He dragged T-dog to behind a car that was on its side and threw a body on top of him. Alex panicked, hearing the walkers drawing closer around them and withdrew a knife. Daryl shuffled towards her and grabbed the body from the car she let against. He threw himself onto the ground, almost on top of Alex, with the body above him just as walkers shuffled around the car.

Alex held her breath, the hot tarmac underneath her scratching at her back. Minutes passed and the sound of shuffling and groaning faded. Daryl quickly shoved the corpse off of them and darted towards T-dog, he arm suddenly stinging as he pulled away. Alex watched him, and realized that she had clung onto his arm tight and had left scratches.

Alex crawled towards T-dog, and started checking his wound, now feeling suddenly exposed as she felt Daryl's eyes on her back. On her way back to the RV, both her and Daryl almost carrying T-dog's weight, she grabbed the first shirt she found and threw it on. It was several sizes too big, and was a man's, but she needed anything to cover the large scar on her back from the group's eyes.

* * *

Upon returning to the RV, Rick told them walkers had chased Sophia into the woods. He had followed and made her hide whilst he took out the walkers, but she wasn't there when he returned.

* * *

**Okay, for those who haven't read my profile; I'm posting this chapter now, but the next won't be out till I get at least 1 Review. The story has had over 100 visitors, and over 500 views, and yet no feed back, nether from messages or reviews and it's annoyed me a tad bit. It's just a warning that there won't be an update until I get feed back.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Destineyrose18: Not quite sure how many chapters there are yet. I'm still writing, usually a couple of chapters ahead of what is updated, so when I do finish it I'll probably announce it about 5/6 chapters before the end. Thanks for your comments :)**

* * *

**Religious walkers**

Rick, Shane, Glenn and Daryl had gone to search for the girl. Everyone kept themselves busy, searching cars for food and water. Alex had sent Liz to find medical supplies, and she'd just returned with a small bag when Shane and Glenn returned with the news that they were tracking the girl. Shane began to order everyone around, Alex suspected to keep them busy until Sophia was found. Shane had told Alex and Liz to search cars for more water, but Alex told Liz to stay with her and help fix T-dog's arm.

"I need my little nurse," She joked, ruffling Liz's hair, "Now hand me that cloth and water, Nurse Lizzy."

The three laughed, as Carl ran up to them with a large black roll.

"Liz, Alex, look what I found," Carl told them, but his face looked a little sad.

Alex passed the bloodied cloth and water back to Liz, asking her to finish it while she spoke to Carl to see if he was okay. Alex approached the boy and knelt, smiling.

"Hey bud, what you got there?" She asked softly. Carl looked hesitant before grinning.

"You like knives, don't ya'?"He asked, unrolling the wrap in his arms. Alex grinned down at the weapons in front of her and reached out for a large machete, felling the weight.

"Wow, this is amazing. Where did you find all this?" she asked. T-dog watched the interaction between her and the boy as they chatted and Alex inspected the weapons.

"She's always liked kids," Liz spoke up, looking at T-dog, "She was amazing with Jamie and Helen."

T-dog glanced back at Alex before looking at Liz, confused.

"Helen was Tom's daughter. She died before the apocalypse in a car crash, that's why we came to America; to have a holiday away from all the sympathy," Liz looked sad, "Drunk driver, but Alex still blames herself. Jamie was –"

Alex cut her off by taking over. She didn't let it show that she had heard what Liz had said, scared of the questions that would be asked. She was surprised that Liz hadn't started asking questions yet, after all Jamie had come on the holiday with them and was with Alex when the group got split.

The sun was setting by the time Glenn had announced that Rick and Daryl where back. Alex slowly left the RV, where she had spent the last few hours sitting and sorting the weapons out after she'd patched up T-dog the best she could with what they had.

"You can't leave my daughter out there on her own," Carol sobbed, hopelessly, "to spend the night alone in the woods."

"Out in the dark's no good. We'd just be tripping over ourselves. More people get lost," Daryl's voice was harsh, probably from thirst.

"But she can't be out there on her own," Carol became teary.

Alex approaches them with a few water bottles which she threw to Rick and Daryl before turning to Carol.

"You'll be surprised how strong a child can be when they need to. Even an 11 or 12-year-old," Alex comforted her, rubbing her back. Rick and Daryl didn't miss the pained look of her own behind her eyes as she comforted the woman.

"I know this is hard, but I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there," Rick explained.

"And we tracked her for a while," Daryl added.

"We have to make this an organised effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anybody, I've asked him to oversee this," Rick told everyone.

Carol stared at Daryl's pants, "Is that blood?" she asked panicked.

"We took down a walker," Rick explained, "There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia."

"How can you know?" Alex asked, blinking at Daryl. She watched as Rick looked towards Daryl, unsure.

"We cut the sum'of bitch open, made sure," Daryl told them. Carol lowered herself on to metal barrier, Lori joining them.

"How could you just leave her out there to begin with?" Carol sneered at Rick, "How could you just leave her?"

"Those two walkers were on us," Rick explained," I had to draw them off. It was her best chance."

"Don't blame him for this, he's trying to help," Alex butted in, defending Rick.

Carol began to sob, "She's just a child," as Rick tried to reason with her. Alex slowly began to edge away from the group and Liz went to put her hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off and entered the RV, unable to hear listen to the sobbing mother's cries anymore.

* * *

The next morning, Rick rolled the weapons that Carl had found on a car bonnet.

"Everyone takes a weapon."

Daryl stared at them, before his fingers lingered on an empty pocket, "One missing?"

"Nope, I have it. I'm going," they turned round to see Alex exiting the RV with a small pack on her back and her fingers twitching next to the holstered machete attached to her hip, her knife now on her opposite thigh.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about guns?" Andrea asked, turning the attention back to her.

"We've been over that. Daryl, Rick and I are carrying. Can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles," Shane told her.

"It's not the trees I'm worried about," she mumbled.

"Melee weapons are quieter, more accurate," Alex murmured from behind her, silently revealing her machete was placed at her throat, before removing it and seething it again "Doesn't attract walkers."

"Someone fires and a herd is passing by? Then it's game over for all of us. You need to get over it," Shane told her, frowning at Alex's actions.

"Idea is to take the creek up 'bout five miles, turn 'round and come back down the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark," Daryl told them, hoisting his crossbow up on his shoulder.

"Stay quiet and stay sharp," Rick warned them, "Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other."

"Everyone assemble your packs," Shane instructed them. Everyone began to bustle around, either assembling a pack or helping some to. Alex approached Daryl, reaching into her pack.

"You're running low on arrows?" She asked, nodding to his crossbow. He glanced at it and shrugged. "Well I found a few, probably not the right ones, but anything helps right?" She pulled them out of her bag and held them out to him. He glanced at them for a few seconds before answering.

"Wrong ones," was all he said, before pushing past her and leaving her feeling confused. She sighed and put them back in her back, thinking that they could at least be used to impale a walker through the eye if she was desperate.

After a few minutes, Carl bounced up to her grinning.

"Hey buddy," She ruffled his hair.

"I'm coming along," He told her, smiling up at her.

"As long as your dad says it's okay. But stay close, or your mum will kill us all," Alex joked. She pulled a small knife from her boot, and pushed it into his hands. "Strap it to you belt. Keep your shirt over it, so it's hidden, unless you're in danger then tuck your shirt behind it so you can reach it. Just don't let your mum or dad see it. Both will kill me, after grounding you for life." A quick ruffle of the hair and she walked away from him. She came to stand by Liz, checking she was okay.

"Yeah, I'm not going. I'm going to sort all the stuff, pack it into the cars as best as possible so we can leave straight away," She told Alex, watching Carl before turning to her, "Splitting image of Jamie, isn't he?" Alex froze.

"All children look the same at that age," she stated, before turning on her heel and leaving with the group towards the forest.

* * *

Walking through the forest in single file was boring, Alex found. Even when they found a small tent, she stayed behind to keep an eye on all their backs. As soon as the tent was check, finding no Sophia, a bell began to ring out. Everyone ran the way the Rick pointed, discussing why and who was ringing the bells, but Alex ignored them and just followed.

Upon exiting the tree line, they all laid eyes on a white church.

"Can't be it, Got no steeple, no bells." Shane commented, with a frown. The group still moved forwards, now at a sprint towards the building. Once up the stairs, Rick signaled for them to be quiet as he opened the red doors.

At first it looked like three people were sitting on the pews, until all of them gave a groan and turned to them. The group stood at the door, waiting whilst Rick, Shane and Daryl took out the walkers.

"Sophia!" Rick screamed, checking a side door, as Daryl approached the front of the church.

"Yo, J.C, you taking requests?" He muttered.

"Who knew there were religious walkers," Alex joked, darkly, glancing at the dead body on the floor.

"I'm telling you, it's the wrong church. It's got no steeple, Rick," Shane told him, "No Steeple."

The bells began to toll again, louder this time. Everyone rushed outside, to see an intercom on the side of the building, leading to a box that Glenn opened. The bells pitched out of key before stopping.

"A timer. It's on a timer," Daryl panted.

"I'm going to go back in for a bit," Carol muttered, entering the church again.

Everyone separated to do their own things, keeping an eye out for walkers who'd heard the bells.

Alex watched as the group mingled with each other, separating from each other to speak to others. She began to head back them as she saw Shane and Rick talking, possibly sorting out the next step.

"Y'all gonna follow the creek bed back, okay? Daryl, you're in charge. Me and Rick, we're just gonna hang back, search this area another hour or so just to be thorough," Shane told them.

"Ya' splitting us up, you sure?" Daryl questioned,

"Yeah, we'll catch up to you," Shane sighed.

"I want to stay, too," Carl spoke up, "I'm her friend."

There was silence, before Lori agreed, telling him to be careful. Rick hugged his wife, promising to be back soon. Just as the group began to split up, Alex approached Rick.

"I'm coming with," Alex told him, "I know the woods, not as well as Dixon, but I've picked things up along the way."

* * *

As the four of them walked through the forest, Rick signalled them to keep quiet when they heard a twig snap. Approaching the sound slowly, Rick, Shane and Alex drew their own weapons and shielded Carl. They stopped as they saw a deer, slowly making its way into a clearing a head of them. Shane grinned and raised his gun, ready to shoot, but Rick muttered his name and nodded to Alex who had taken Carl's hand and was slowly approaching it. Alex turned to the boy; put her finger to her mouth, then her feet and finally her ear. The boy nodded, and trod slowly following and watching where Alex put her own feet.

A few feet away and the deer looked up, straight at Carl. Carl continued to approach slowly, Alex now behind him. She stood directly behind him, her hands on his shoulders when the deer twitched nervously. Alex looked down at Carl, and for a few seconds saw Jamie staring up at her with a large grin his face. Alex blinked back tears, as a gunshot pierced the silence.

Alex, Carl and the deer dropped the ground, instantly.


End file.
